Nick Cannon sparks outrage with white face photo

Nick Cannon has been the subject of backlash and criticism ever since he posted a picture of himself sporting white face on Instagram. The actor/rapper posted the first in a series of photos on Monday as a promotional strategy for his upcoming album “White People Party Music,” but it seems like his attempt has backfired. The photo instantly accumulated lots of negative comments, with followers expressing their disappointment and outrage at Nick’s white face getup. What angered followers even more were the hashtags in the caption: “#WHITEPEOPLEPARTYMUSIC… #GoodCredit #DogKissing #BeerPong #FarmersMarkets #FistPumping #CreamCheeseEating #RacialDraft ‘Bro I got drafted!!'”

Many followers didn’t take these digs lightly and accused the rapper of being racist. Despite the backlash, Nick doesn’t seem to be taking the negativity too personally. He continued to use this new persona – an alter ego named Connor Smallnut – to promote the album’s April 1 release, and he even went as far as interviewing people on the street in costume. He also replied to the comments via Twitter: “Damn I didn’t know it was going to be this hard being White! … I’m exhausted with all this ‘privilege’ LOL #WhitePeopleProblems.” Nick isn’t the first celebrity to come under fire for painting his face – actress Julianne Hough faced criticism last Halloween when she donned black face to dress up as Crazy Eyes from Orange is the New Black. ~Yara Matar

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Comments & Discussion

Are you kidding? If a white person were to do this, we’d get absolutely BLASTED. Unbelievable.

Sharon • March 27, 2014 @ 11:24 AM

If a white person put on a black face and did a parady – it would be on the evening news and their would be an uproar heard around the world. A black person puts on a white face and does a parady and there is no mention of it on the news and no one cares. How is that fair? Nick Cannon, if he were white and did this would be called a racist, but because he is black it is okay? I don’t think so.

Movie Junkie • March 27, 2014 @ 11:51 AM

White people have put on a black face and had to apologize for it. Julianne Hough (sp?) being the most recent and that was a Halloween costume. Racism works both ways. You can’t have it one way and not the other. If a white person was made to apologize for painting their face black then he should be made to apologize as well. You can’t have your cake and eat it to, otherwise, the next white person to paint their face black should be left the heck alone. My personal opinion is that I could care less. A person is a person no matter what colour their skin is. People have got to learn not to take things so personally. I just don’t like that its ok for black people but not for white. THAT is racist. Like I said, if black people expect white people to apologize then the same should apply to them.

Mightymad • March 27, 2014 @ 1:03 PM

Black face has a long, VERY LONG history based in racism and oppression against a visible minority, blacks. Its sole reason was to debased said minority, to laugh at, to deride them, so the white majority could maintain its dubious superiority.

White face is something that was created last week, solely because of that Cannon pic; it has no historical value whatsoever, and undoubtedly has no malicious intent behind it. The sole reason why it is currently being push so hard right now is because it gives an underserved soapbox for all the extreme PC jackasses and closet racists out there to stand on.

Nope, those two aren’t the same… Only the biggest hypocrites/morons/bigots among us would say otherwise (unsurprisingly, there’s tons of those around here.)

quinn • March 27, 2014 @ 1:19 PM

Robert Downey jr did it. Eddie Murphy did it. There should be no apology. For one it wouldn’t be sincere and two it’s not needed. Nick created a character. Actors create characters. I don’t want Merle Streep portraying Harriet Tubman. Or Viola Davis playing Margret Thatcher. It comes down to making money and Nick wants enough publicity to push his album. Only time will tell if he succeeded.

biancacruz • March 27, 2014 @ 1:46 PM

Who cares? costumes and makeup are used all the time. I don’t see why it should matter either way. It’s not a respect thing as far as I’m concerned.

Christopher King • March 27, 2014 @ 1:49 PM

Was there a point to this article, because frankly I’m not seeing it. Then again, I also have no problems with blackface either. Parody is parody. Get over yourselves

Sparky • March 27, 2014 @ 4:38 PM

Nick Canon? Why is this hack still in the news? He’s a talentless hack who has to get a sugar momma and pull stupid stunts like this to get attention. Everyone just ignore him and he will go away.

natsmash • March 27, 2014 @ 10:19 PM

sparky ! its that last comment that is the real problem.Something like this should not be brushed under the rug no matter the popularity of the person . i am offended and disgusted and whats worse is that this &$%(head is loving every second of it cause he knows black entertainers get away with anything they want, oh and by the way mightymad it doesn’t matter how long black-face went on or how long ago it was or whatever the reason was. Its still no excuse to do and act in this fashion. i think for Halloween ill go yellow face (Asian) for the idiots. or ill go red face (first nations) again for the idiots. dick cannon i mean nick cannon doesn’t care what anybody thinks (obviously) that is racist in the extreme. when are white people going stand up for ourselves and say we have had enough of black people getting away with crap because of the past, that gives them no right whatsoever as i repeat myself . please somebody, call this boy out on his stupid antics otherwise this will get worse. (WHITE GIRLS ANYONE) what white guys would have gotten away with that i ask ??????????

LJ • April 1, 2014 @ 8:57 PM

@Erika @Sharon Robert Downey Jr. played a black actor in Tropic Thunder and he was nominated for an Oscar. Why are people getting angry over this? Move on with your lives